Improved fibrous-composition slab and panel for roofs, floors, walls



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ROBERT W. RUSSELL, OF 'N E W YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 88,516, dated March 30, 1869.

IMPROVED FIBROUS-COMPOSITION SLAB AND PANEL FOR ROOFS, FLOORS, WALLS,TANKS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Boomer W. ltussnun, of thecity, county, and State of New York, have invented certain ncwand usefulImprovements in llibrousComposition and Fibrous Slabs and Panels forRoofs, Floors, 'Walls, .liavements, Tanks, and for other purposes; and Ihereby declare'the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same.

The nature of my invention consists in a new method ofmakingaml usingthefibrous compositionsandfibrous slabs and panels afbresailhby more directand simple means than heretofore employed, and by the use of a new andcheap fibre, viz, the cane of the cane-brakes,

and other similar fibrous vegetable substances, disintegrated by Lymanspatent stca|n gun, in combination with bituminous and other materials,as hereinafter mentioned.

First. To make slabs and panels of fibrous composition, without usingsheets, or layers of felt or paper, and without reducing the fibre topulp, I take the fibre made from the cane of the cane-brakes of theCarolinas, and other southern States, or other vegetable fibroussubstance, disintegrated by the said steam-gun only, without the use ofany chemicals, and without any maceration or rotting. I prefer, however,the canefibre. The fibre is twisted or spun into a yarn, or strand, andseve 'al twister, interlaced, or intertwined together, so as to form aweblike, coarse matting; or the strands may be woven into a we). The webor matting is steeped in, or otherwise charged with a tarry orbituminous composition, or mastic or adhesive matter, with or withoutcalcareous, mineral, earthy, or other similar substances, according tothe purposes for which the material may be required. Thus, whenroofing-material is required, bituminous mastic is used, or coal-tar,mixed with powdcred slate, or coal-tar and cement, or other composition,water-proof and fire-proof, or water-proof only. For some purposes, itispreferable to use the alkaline silicate composition, hereinaftermentioned, 01' deodorized compositions of pitch, tar, bitumen, orasphaltuin, as, for example, when wainscotting or panelling is required.

The fibrous matter, in combination with bitumen, bituminous composition,or mastic, may be hardened by shellac, softened by oil, made elastic byelastic gum, and made hard and dense by the addition ofdalcarcous,mineral, earthy, and other similar matter, in the usual way, accordingto the uses and purposesrequired. Bit.

. umen requiresfhe addition of softening-matter, and

coal-tar, the addition of matter to harden and make the fibrouscomposition suiiieiently dense.

One or more of the coarse webs pressed hard, so as to consolidate theadhesive aml other matter with the fibrous material, produce a solidslab, light, strong, and durable, and available for roofs, floors, innerand outer walls, paving, tanks, sewers,hulls and decks of vessels, andvarious other purposes. For some purposes a single thickness willsuffice, e. g., for pails, barrels, and tubs, and covering for walls, inlieu of lath and plaster; also, in many cases, for roofs.

The material can be prepared for transportation in the shape of fibrousslabs, of convenient size. I prefer the following method of covering afiat roof with the said fibrous slabs: The slabs made with rabbetjoints,or tongued and grooved, are nailed to the afters, or sheathing-boards.These slabs are covered with another series of slabs, made in the samemanner, and which are laid down so as to cover the joints of, and arefastened to the lower series with bituminous, mastic, or othercomposition, as aforesaid, the whole forming a light, strong, solid,water-tight roof, sufficiently fire-proof, also, when slate, cement,soapstone, plaster of Paris, or other similar substance, is mixed withthe adhesive matter, and pressed into and amongst the fibres, asaforesaid. The same method may be applied to the making of water-tightfloors and decks, and for other purposes. The slab, being stout andstiff, may, when required for a roof, be corrugated, whereby additionalprotection will be afibrded against the leakage of water through theseams; and such roof may, in addition, have a covering of tin, zinc, orother meta-l or Inetallic,composition, to fit into such corrugations, orto be applied to a fiat surface.

For outer walls, the slabs, made to fit each other, as aforesaid, may beslid into grooves formed in the support-postsof the building, and fittedand cemented together so as to form a tight wall, without nails orscrews. The slabs for outer walls may be corrugated to receive acovering of metal or metallic composition to be fitted to the same, orsuch metallic covering may be applied to a flat surface.

For street-pavements, the slabs may be moulded or pressed so as topresent a corrugated, or grooved surface, or piusrknobs, or projectingcones, to fit into a metallic covering of such slabs, the surface ofwhich may be corrugated, or grooved to fit the slabs. When the metallicsurface presents pins, knobs, or cones, the spaces between them arefilled with fibrous composition, as aforesaid, bituminous, mastic, orother suitable substance, and so as to make the surface of the metalliccovering strong and sufiiciently smooth. The slabs should be made oflarge size, and several inches thick, and fitting into each other, andriveted to the metallic covering, so as to make a good foundation whenlaid upon sand, gravel, or concrete.

By this method, a good, noiseless pavement is made, of firm andindestructible foundation, but not too hard and unyielding, and withsuch a surface aswill prevent horses from slipping on it.

The slabs, made as aforesaid, or with a smooth surface, will serve as agood foundation for wooden pavements.

Second. The fibrous slabs and panels, for the purposes aforesairh'may bemade of the cane-fibre, the

product of said steam-blowing process, without spinning-it into strandsand forming webs, as aforesaid. The steam-blown cane-fibre is immersedin, or otherwise charged with or mixed with bitumen, or other adhesivecomposition, as aforesaid, varying according to the uses and purposes towhich it is to be applied. It is then pressed or rolled into panels orslabs, or formed in moulds or dies, into any desired form or shape. Thematting-strands, or web aforesaid, with the blended composition, mayalso be pressed or formedin like manner.

The said cane-fibre, disintegrated as aforesaid, is especially adaptedfor said purposes, as it does not require any chemical treatment, isdivested of silicious coating, is well disintegrated, and is veryabsorbent, and, therefore, well suited for forming the' basis of thebituminous and other compounds, 860., as aforesaid, and also being cheapenough to warrant the free use of it for making fibrous-compositionslabs of considerable thickness.

The alkaline silicate composition aforesaid is used to mix with the saidfibre, or to fasten the sheets of fibre together, as aforesaid, when thefibrous-composition slabs, or panels are required for fire-proof floors,and for fire-proof linings of railway-cars, and cabins of steamboats andother vessels, and for other similar purposes. a

Third. To make thin panels, slabs, wainscotting, and light mouldings ofthe disintegrated fibre, I take sheets or layers of felt, or paper,- orpulped material, or other or fibrous matter made from cane, or otherfibrous vegetable substance, disintegrated as aforesaid. The saidfibrous material is mixed with clay, lime, gypsum, chalk, .or othersimilar matter, and such mixing may be effected in the paper-make1"sbeating-engine. The sheets, or layers of felt, or paper are fastenedtogether with alkaline silicate, either alone or mixed with soapstone,chalk, gypsum, or by or with any suitable adhesive matter, orcomposition, as aibresaid, preferably with a composition of deodorizedpitch, tar,.bitumen, or asphaltum, so as to make solid fibrous panel,which should be of convenient size for transportation. These slabs orpanels may be pressed or moulded into any desired shape or form. In likemanner, sheets and mouldings may be made of the said fibre reduced topulp, or

same

fine fibre, and mixed or combined, as aforesaid, with other materials,as aforesaid, without any paper-mam ing machinery.

The panels may be made with rabbet-joints, or tongued and grooved, so asto fit well together, and fastened on the wall or ceiling, when used asa substitute for lath and plaster. \Vhen the fibrous panel is made withalkaline silicate, it is advantageous to give both sides of the panel acoating of lime, varnish, paint, or size. A covering of wall-paper addsto the beauty and finish of this substitute for lath and plaster. Thefibrous-composition panels are cheaper than lath and plaster, and do notwarp, crack, peel, crumble, or decay, and they are bad conductors ofheat and cold.

Having now described my invention, and the manner in which the same isor may be carried into effect,

What 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The makingand using of the said fibrous-composition slabs and panels for roofs,walls, pavements, 850., and for other suitable purposes, as and by themeans aforesaid, and especially by the employment,

in combination with other ingredients, as aforcsaid,of the disintegratedcane-fibre, in the condition in which it is expelled from the saidsteam-gun, without thejiu'se of any chemicals to further disintegratethesame,'and without reducing it to pulp, or making it into sheets offelt or paper, such process and new manufacture being substantially ashereinbeibre specified.

2. The manufacture of said fibrous silicate com-position-panels, orboards for ceilings and inner walls of houses, in lieu of lath andplaster, and for fire-proof floors and linings of railway-carriages, andcabins, floors, and decks of vessels, and for other purposes,substantially as above described.

3. The new articles of manufacture, the said fibrouscomposition slabsand panels, made by the said processes, and for the purposeshereinbefore described.

'In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification,before two subscribing witnesses.

I R. W. RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

M. BAILEY, H. E. BAILIJERE.

